Category Archives: December 30

Photo from Christian Soulliere, wonderfully talented photographer whose work can be found at christiansoulliere.com. Photo of: Occupy KC investigating a crime scene at the poster child for bank fraud, BofA.

It seems as though this country’s politicians have decided they can impose fees if we wish to exercise the rights guaranteed us as Americans. It would appear those politicians feel as though they can use financial excuses to restrict my rights. They would have us believe that it’s within their power to restrict us with arguments of overtime and man hours spent. They would have us buy in to the notion that we should be ‘polite’ enough not to challenge the assertions that their bottom line trumps the rights I have carried from birth. They would have us believe that to object to this insane notion, this whimsy, you must be an anarchist.

For the good mayor of Kansas City and his police chiefs and department, I would assert that my freedom of speech isn’t subject to your budget cuts. I would also say that what few tax dollars are really paid to the cops is all right with most taxpayers. Let folks say what they have to say. Someone should be speaking out against the loss of Medicare, Medicaid and the constant threats about Social Security.

I am not sure which is more disturbing, the misguided notion that politicians now can determine when, where and how Americans practice their rights, or the stunning reality that all too many of us are willing to swallow that pill. Just like with the Patriot Act. Just like with the NDAA. The heady brew of media distortion and deception, pundits who galvanize talking points with repetitive sound bytes and well, damn politeness, has brought us here in virtual silence without dissent.

Doesn’t that frighten you the way it does me? What world are we passing forward? What world do we have left?

We are Americans, first and foremost, and while we have them, I will use my guaranteed rights until my last breath is gone. I owe myself that. We all do.

I support Occupy KC and plan on attending the jazz funeral. We are taking our kids to show them the power of our democracy in action. We are taking them because it’s damn good to be free. I’m proud to be an American. On December 30th, 2011, I intend to show it. I ask that the police of Kansas City not scare my daughters, as I would not scare theirs. I trust they will not, as they have had a good relationship with the Occupation to this point.

It is going to be a jazz style funeral, in Kansas City, who can resist that? I love Kansas City. I want to show the girls that part of our history, our culture, our past. It saddens me, as such reunions during funerals often do, how fragile those things are now.

Our social safety net is not theirs to take. We must speak out against this false assumption.

I ask that if you read this and can, please join us. Occupy Kansas City represents something increasingly important in our society. It represents us. We are the 99%.